Mr. Smith did not receive his medication on time, as ordered, because his nurse forgot about it and went on her lunch break. Consequently, Mr. Smith's condition deteriorated, and he was sent to the emergency room. What legal term describes this form of professional negligence?
Liability
Malfeasance
Malpractice
Dereliction of duty
The Correct Answer is C
In this situation, the nurse's failure to administer Mr. Smith's medication on time as ordered, resulting in harm to the patient, could be considered malpractice. Malpractice refers to a failure to meet the standard of care that results in harm to a patient.
Option A refers to legal responsibility for one's actions, but it does not specify the type of wrongdoing.
Option B refers to wrongdoing or misconduct, but it is not specific to the medical profession.
Option D refers to a failure to fulfill one's duties or obligations, but it does not necessarily imply harm to a patient.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Assistive personnel (AP), also known as unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), can perform tasks such as assisting with activities of daily living, hygiene, and nutrition, as well as those tasks that support professional nursing assessments ². Providing postmortem care for a client who has died [d] is a task that can be delegated to an AP.
The other options are not tasks that should be delegated to an AP. Educating a client on the use of a blood glucose monitor [a] involves patient education, which is typically the responsibility of a licensed nurse.
Interpreting a client's vital signs [b] involves assessing the client's health status, which is also typically the responsibility of a licensed nurse. Performing a central line dressing change for a client [c] is a complex task that requires specialized knowledge and skills.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The nurse should include the statement "Delegation permits a designated individual to meet a goal on your behalf" in the teaching. This is because delegation allows the nurse to assign tasks to an AP who has the appropriate skills and knowledge to complete them, while still maintaining accountability for the outcome of the task.
Option A is incorrect because accountability for a delegated task remains with the delegator, not the AP.
Option C is incorrect because discharge teaching activities for clients cannot be delegated to an AP as they require nursing judgment and assessment.
Option D is incorrect because it is important for the nurse to follow up on delegated tasks even if the AP has completed them before to ensure that they have been completed correctly and that the client's needs have been met.
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